While there have been numerous watermelon cakes created to mimic the distinctive coloring of the fruit, none have been careful to simulate the shape and texture of the summer melon—until online retailer Rakuten introduced the Suika Baumkuchen.
A "baumkuchen" is known as a type of cake in Japan that's made by pouring layers of cake batter around a spinning rod. Although this method of making cake usually creates a dessert that's ring-shaped, this time around, the cake was created to be nearly entirely spherical.
The watermelon cake is made with a green melon-flavored batter and a soft red watermelon mousse on the interior. To complete the illusion, green stripes were added to the exterior and chocolate chips to mimic the interior seeds.
Imitation Watermelon Cakes
The 'Suika Baumkuchen' Mimics the Look and Flavor of a Summer Fruit
Trend Themes
1. Imitation Fruit Cakes - Creating cakes that mimic the appearance and taste of different fruits, enabling cake makers to offer unique and visually appealing treats.
2. Baumkuchen Variations - Expanding upon the traditional baumkuchen baking method to create unique and innovative dessert designs with unexpected shapes and flavors.
3. Nature-inspired Desserts - Designing desserts that take inspiration from natural elements and mimic the appearance and flavor profiles of popular fruits and vegetables.
Industry Implications
1. Bakery - Developing a product line dedicated to fruit-inspired cakes, capturing consumers' attention through visually striking, one-of-a-kind baked goods.
2. Food and Beverage - Incorporating the idea of fruit imitation into product development to create unique dessert and beverage offerings that appeal to consumers' visual and taste preferences.
3. Event and Catering - Providing an array of nature-inspired desserts, including imitation fruit cakes, as part of offerings for events, parties and celebrations to delight guests and differentiate the business from competitors.